The invention relates generally to medical apparatus and more particularly to apparatus for transporting a patient in conjunction with performing x-ray examination while the patient is on the apparatus.
A person who has been seriously injured in an accident or from a sudden illness usually will be transported by emergency personnel to a hospital or other site where medical treatment can be rendered. A first step in determining the nature and extent of the injury is to take x-rays of the patient before appropriate treatment can be given. Therefore, it is extremely important that the transportation of the patient and x-ray procedure be performed in a manner which minimizes any further risk of injury to the patient. Thus, it is desirable to essentially immobilize the patient from the time the patient is first placed on the transport device until after the x-rays are taken so that the injury will not be aggravated. Unfortunately, present techniques generally result in undesirable manipulation of the patient, such as positioning, lifting, bending, etc. during x-ray procedures and examinations. This patient movement may be detrimental to the patient, in the worst case even life threatening; the movement may also require the suspension of other procedures (e.g. CPR) or result in repeated examinations or procedures which cause untimely delays when time may be a critical factor. No patient movement is warranted when a head-neck-spine injury is suspected or after the placement of an endotracheal tube for life support and breathing. Lifting the head to place an x-ray film under the neck to take a cervical-spine examination could result in paralysis or death of a patient. Reducing patient movement also will relieve and possibly reduce injuries to the personnel who are handling the patient.
The most commonly used transport device in the field is a simple flat board; however, other more complicated stretchers can also be used. A rigid surface is desirable because it allows CPR to be performed. Although these devices are fine for transporting the patient, they create a problem when it is necessary to x-ray the patient since some movement of the patient will be necessary, either to transfer the patient entirely to an x-ray table or to place a film under the patient while still on the transport device. These transport devices are made of materials which contain artifacts or internal imperfections so that x-rays taken through the device may be inaccurate; therefore the patient should not be x-rayed through the device.
Therefore it is desirable to have a transport device which permits x-ray examination of the patient without any movement of the patient relative to the transport device and without interfering with the x-ray quality. However, presently available devices do not provide this combination of characteristics with its attendant decrease in patient risk and increase in patient safety.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,067,079 to Buchman shows a patient shifting aid comprising a flexible plastic slab.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,156,145 to Weatherholt shows an x-ray support device having a base surface for resting on a flat surface and a movable upper surface for receiving the patient torso, with aperture means in the device for placing x-ray film.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,358,141 to Hoffmann shows a board with immobilizer straps for x-raying infants. U.S. Pat. No. 3,264,659 to Magni shows a litter comprising a first frame which fits within a second frame. U.S. Pat. No. 3,304,116 to Stryker shows a wheeled carriage which can support a stretcher. U.S. Pat. No. 4,012,799 to Rutherford shows a sled board for transferring a patient from one bed to another. U.S. Pat. No. 3,329,978 to Porter shows a stretcher-operating table bridging panel. U.S. Pat. No. 2,528,048 to Gilleland shows a wheeled stretcher with means to transfer a patient to another support. U.S. Pat. No. 3,373,454 to Curtis shows a segmented stretcher with individually movable sections. U.S. Pat. No. 3,962,736 to Fedele shows a device for moving a patient in bed which has a base and support platform which slides on the base. U.S. Pat. No. 4,145,612 to Cooper shows a multilayer composite x-ray support stretcher. U.S. Pat. No. 3,737,923 to Prolo shows a cervical spine immobilization device.
None of the prior art references show a medical device which provides sufficient immobilization of the patient from initial transport through an x-ray examination to minimize risk or additional injury to the patient.
State of the art x-ray tables found in modern hospitals are made of rigid, high strength, uniform, low attenuation (1 mm aluminum equivalent or less) materials which permit effective x-ray examination while protecting the patient. X-ray films are placed in table drawers under the patient without moving the patient. The table material has been approved for this use because of its uniform high transparency or transmission (low attenuation or absorption) to x-rays (radiolucence) which produces no interference on the x-ray film. Unfortunately, these tables are not portable and a patient must be transferred thereto from a transport device for examination.